Craft Project: Casablanca Corset

Knit this beautiful top courtesy of The Art of Knitted Lace

Embrace the complex stitch patterns and the delicate touch of holding the blocked beauty in your hands. Fall in love with the beautiful marriage of positive and negative space that only the increases and decreases of lace can create.

Row 2 (WS): Work in rib back to center stitch, then continue in charted pattern, work 2 stitches, w&t.

Row 3 (RS): Continue in chart pattern as established, working to next wrapped stitch, lift wrap to needle and work together with wrapped stitch, then continue in chart working 3 stitches, w&t.

Row 4 (WS): Continue in chart pattern as established, working to next wrapped stitch, lift wrap to needle and work together with wrapped stitch, then continue in chart working 3 stitches, w&t.

Row 5 (RS): Continue in chart pattern as established, working to next wrapped stitch, lift wrap to needle and work together with wrapped stitch, then continue in chart, working 2 stitches, w&t.

Row 6 (WS): Continue in chart pattern as established, working to next wrapped stitch, lift wrap to needle and work together with wrapped stitch, then continue in chart working 2 stitches, w&t.

Next Row: Continue in chart pattern as established, working to next wrapped stitch, lift wrap to needle and work together with wrapped stitch, then continue in chart working 3 (2, 2) stitches, w&t.
Work last row a total of 2 (4, 4) times, ending with a wrong-side row—34 (32, 34) stitches remain unworked at underarm.

Sleeve

From this point you will be working in the round.

Continue with sleeve cap after last w&t and, working on the right side of the piece, work across all cap stitches to last w&t, work wrap as for previous wrapped stitches, place marker, k34 (32, 34) stitches, place marker, work in rib as established to marker.

Begin working Chart B around all stitches, matching chart placement with rib stitch placement around all stitches.

Work 8-row repeat of chart with smallest 12" (30.5cm) needle, then work 8-row repeat with medium 12" (30.5cm) needle and end by working 8 rows of chart with largest 12" (30.5cm) needle.

Next Round: Knit.

Next Round: Purl.
Bind off loosely.

Finishing
Steam-block piece.

Crochet Edging
Single crochet around all stitches at neck edge for 2 rounds, then work 1 round of slip stitch crochet, tightening up the neck opening so the garment sits comfortably. Adjust tension, depending on how wide or narrow you prefer the neck opening.

Excerpted from The Art of Knitted Lace: With Complete Lace How-to and Dozens of Patterns. Includes patterns from Lisa Lloyd, Annie Modesitt, Berta Karapetyan, Melissa Matthay, Phoenix Bess and More (Potter Craft).Copyright 2010.